Casing having light-transmitting closures



Dec. 7 1926.

- w. SCHMID CASING HAVING LIGHT TRANSMITTING CLOSURES Filed June 18, 1926 Patented Bee. 7, 1:926.

nmrso STATES- 1,609,840 PATENT" OFFICE.

WILLIAM soHMID, or ooLnwA'rEn, MIcHiGAN, Assreaoa ro HARRY A. DOUGLAS, or

I BRONSON, MICHIGAN.

'CASINfi HAVING LIGHT TRANSMITTING CLOSURES.

Application filed June 18.

My invention relates vto casings having light transmitting closures such, for example, as headlight casings.

Generally speaking, my invention resides in the provision of a ring that is expansible and contractible along its axis, this ring being interposed between the closure and a seat that is provided within the casing, the casing also having a retaining member in front of the closure and which receives the pressure of the spring ring through the closure whereby the closure is held in place. This retaining member is preferably in the form of a ring which surrounds the portion of the casing where the casing is provided and which ring has bayonet pin and slot connection with the casing. The spring ring also serves to hold the retaining ring member and the casing in assembly at their bayonet pins and slots. The spring ring is desirably formed of strip spring material folded into V-shaped cross section to be very readily expansible and contractible along the axis of the ring. Clearance desirably intervenes between the perimeter of the closure and the casing to permit the closure to shift in its own plane so that it will not be unduly subject to shocks that might, otherwise, fracture the closure.

The invention will be more fully explained by reference to the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a sectional view illustrating the preferred embodiment thereof as employed in a headlight structure; Fig. 2 is a side view of the front portion of the casing illustrated in Fig. 1 with the closure retaining member in place; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the spring ring; and Fig. 4 is a view, on a larger scale, illustrating the front end of the casing, the retaining member, the closure, and the spring ring, in section and in separated relation.

The casing 1, illustrated, is included in a headlight structure, though the invention is not to be limited to the structure in which the invention is included. In a headlight the casing is concave and is mirrored upon its inner surface. An incandescent lamp 2 is shown within the casing at the rear thereof, this incandescent lamp being separably secured within the front end of the socket 3 that is assembled at its mid-portion with the rear end of the casing. The rear end of this socket receives a connecting plug 1- whereby the lamp may be included in circuit, in ac 1926. Serial Ira 116,560,

cordance with common practice. The casing is formed withan annular shoulder 5 at its forward end and is continued forwardly, as indicated at 6, to form a receiving space for the light transmitting closure 7 and the spring ring 8 which is interposed between said closure and the shoulder 5 that constitutes a seat for the ring. A retaining ring member has one portion 9 which surrounds the casing contination 6 and which is provided with bayonet slots 10 that receive a tion 12. The spring ring is desirably formedof strip spring metal that is folded into V- shaped cross section whereby the ring may be compressed longitudinally of its axis and may have expansible action to hold the closure against the retaining ring portion 12 and to hold the retaining ring in assembly with the casing at the bayonet pin and slot connections 10, 11. Clearance intervenes between the, perimeter of the closure and the surrounding casing portion 6 whereby the closure is permitted to shift in its own plane to guard against its fracture. The spring ring 8 flares outwardly to have two rims that circumscribe the bight portion of the ring, one of these rims pressing upon the shoulder 5 of the casing 1 and the other rim pressing upon the closure 7. Both of the flaring parts of the ring serve to exert spring pressure so that the ring serves to close the gap between the closure and the casing in the various relative positions of said closure and casing. The bight portion of the ring is not relied upon to effect any sealing connection but is free to flex and, in flexing, does not have any effect, thereat, upon the sealing action of the ring.

It is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the direction in which the light passes through the light transmitting closure. In the case of a lamp which is furnishing light, the light passes from the rear forwardly through the closure. In the case of other structures, the light may pass into the casing through the closure. It is, therefore, immaterial in which direction the lightpasses, the invention concerning the assembly of the light transmitting closure and any form of cars ing, and irrespective of the depth of the portion of the casing back of the closure.

Changes may be made Without departing from the invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

The combination with a casing having a light transmitting closure and provided with a retaining member in front of said closure; of a ring formed of strip spring material folded into V-shaped cross section to be expansible and contractible along the axis of the ring and interposed between the inner face of said closure and a seat that is provided Within the casing, said retaining member holding said closure into contracting relation with said ring to hold the closure in place, said ring flaring outwardly to afl'ord two rims which surround the bight portion of the ring, one of these rims pressing upon the light transmitting closure and the other pressing upon the aforesaid seat.

In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name.

' WVILLIAM SCHMID. 

